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Built-up column, lacing, 8 m, 1100 kN

Short answer

Use 2 ISMC 300 back to back (webs facing) with 190 mm clear gap. Provide single lacing of 60×10 mm flats at 45°, connected by M20 bolts, and end tie plates 360×280×6 mm.

Design a built-up column 8 m long to carry a factored axial compressive load of 1100 kN. The column is restrained in position but not in direction at both ends. Design the column with connecting system as lacing with bolted connections. Use two channel sections back to back. Use steel of grade Fe 410.

Given/assumptions: factored load Pu=1100P_u=1100 kN; length 8 m, restrained in position but not in direction at both ends → K=1.0K=1.0, KL=8KL=8 m. Two channels back to back, single bolted lacing (M20, grade 4.6); Fe410 / E250 (fy=250f_y=250, fu=410f_u=410).

1. Section: 2 ISMC 300 back to back (webs facing, flanges outward)

A=2×4564=9128A=2\times4564=9128 mm², Ixx=2×6362.6×104I_{xx}=2\times6362.6\times10^4 mm⁴, rxx=118.1r_{xx}=118.1 mm, Cyy=23.6C_{yy}=23.6 mm, bf=90b_f=90 mm. Built-up members use buckling class c (IS 800:2007 Table 10, α=0.49\alpha=0.49).

  • λxx=KLrxx=8000118.1=67.8\lambda_{xx}=\dfrac{KL}{r_{xx}}=\dfrac{8000}{118.1}=67.8
  • Laced column: λe=1.05λ=71.1\lambda_e=1.05\lambda=71.1 (cl. 7.6.1.4)
  • fcd=fy/γm0ϕ+ϕ2−λn2f_{cd}=\dfrac{f_y/\gamma_{m0}}{\phi+\sqrt{\phi^2-\lambda_n^2}} with ϕ=0.5[1+0.49(λn−0.2)+λn2]\phi=0.5[1+0.49(\lambda_n-0.2)+\lambda_n^2], λn=fy/fcc\lambda_n=\sqrt{f_y/f_{cc}}, fcc=π2E/λe2f_{cc}=\pi^2E/\lambda_e^2 → fcd=150.4f_{cd}=150.4 N/mm²
  • Pd=Afcd=1373P_d=A f_{cd}=1373 kN ≥Pu=1100\ge P_u=1100 kN ✓

2. Clear gap for equal stiffness

The centroid of each section is at xc=23.6+s/2x_c=23.6+s/2 from the column axis. For Iyy≥IxxI_{yy}\ge I_{xx}:

xc≥Ixx−Iyy,chAch=115.2 mm ⇒ s≥183 mmx_c\ge\sqrt{\frac{I_{xx}-I_{yy,ch}}{A_{ch}}}=115.2\ \text{mm}\ \Rightarrow\ s\ge183\ \text{mm}

Provide s=190s=190 mm. Then Iyy=2[Iyy,ch+Achxc2]=13461×104I_{yy}=2[I_{yy,ch}+A_{ch}x_c^2]=13461\times10^4 mm⁴, ryy=121.4r_{yy}=121.4 mm, λyy=65.9\lambda_{yy}=65.9, 1.05λyy=69.21.05\lambda_{yy}=69.2, Pdy=1402P_{dy}=1402 kN ≥Pu\ge P_u ✓.

3. Design of lacing (single lacing, two planes)

   |\     /|
   | \   / |    theta = 45 deg to the axis
   |  \ /  |    S = distance between connection lines
   |  / \  |
   | /   \ |
  • Distance between connection lines S=s+bf=190+90=280S=s+b_f=190+90=280 mm
  • Transverse shear V=2.5% Pu=27.5V=2.5\%\,P_u=27.5 kN; per lacing plane Vp=13.75V_p=13.75 kN
  • Force in lacing bar F=Vpsin⁡θ=19.45F=\dfrac{V_p}{\sin\theta}=19.45 kN
  • Length of bar l=Ssin⁡θ=396l=\dfrac{S}{\sin\theta}=396 mm; effective length =l=l (between the inner end bolts)
  • t≥l/40=10t\ge l/40=10 mm; width ≥3d=60\ge3d=60 mm → flat 60 × 10 mm
  • λ=lt/12=137<145\lambda=\dfrac{l}{t/\sqrt{12}}=137<145 ✓ (cl. 7.6.3); fcd=68f_{cd}=68 N/mm², Pc=41.0P_c=41.0 kN >F>F ✓
  • Tension: Tdn=0.9(w−d0)tfuγm1=112.2T_{dn}=\dfrac{0.9(w-d_0)tf_u}{\gamma_{m1}}=112.2 kN >F>F ✓
  • Connection: M20 (4.6) Vdsb=45.3V_{dsb}=45.3 kN, bearing on 10 mm =99.4=99.4 kN → 1 bolt at each end
  • Lacing angle θ=45°\theta=45° lies between 40° and 70° ✓
  • Spacing of lacing points on one section =2Stan⁡θ=560=\dfrac{2S}{\tan\theta}=560 mm; slenderness of the section between them =56026.1=21.5≤min⁡(50, 0.7λmax)=\dfrac{560}{26.1}=21.5\le\min(50,\ 0.7\lambda_{max}) ✓ (cl. 7.6.3)

4. Tie plates

Tie (end) plates at both ends of the lacing system: length ≥S+\ge S+ edges =360=360 mm, depth ≥S=280\ge S=280 mm, thickness ≥S/50=6\ge S/50=6 mm → 360 × 280 × 6 mm at each end, connected to each section by 2 bolts.

Answer: 2 ISMC 300 back to back (webs facing, flanges outward), clear gap 190 mm, single lacing of 60 × 10 mm flats at 45°, tie plates 360 × 280 × 6 mm at the ends.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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